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Andrew Cussen thinks Mamadou Sakho‘s walkout can be turned into a positive, if managed well by Brendan Rodgers.
Much has been made of Mamadou Sakho’s walkout on Saturday before the Merseyside derby at Anfield, and his subsequent non-selection in the Champions League squad to face FC Basel in midweek. But the protest has presented Brendan Rodgers with an opportunity to capitalise on the French international’s clear desire to play.
Sakho’s actions demonstrate his frustrations and how much he wants to play. After all, he joined Liverpool seeking more game time as he was third choice at his hometown Paris Saint-Germain. This is a man who left his family and friends behind in search of regular football, and the reality of his experiences so far at Anfield has perhaps not matched his expectations.
Sometimes we forget that footballers are human beings, that they can do nonsensical things. Not for a second am I saying that Sakho was right to walk out or that his actions deserve to be ignored. The punishment for Sakho – being left out of Liverpool’s match against Basel – is a justifiable one, nobody is disputing that.
Now comes an important time in his Liverpool career and a situation that must be dealt with effectively by Rodgers. Is Rodgers going to play headmaster or is he going to harness Sakho’s passion for the game and channel that desire into positive performances? Let’s hope it’s the latter.
“I wanted to try and protect the present and the future of the club. Centre-halves are so hard to find. You look at some teams and they have ageing centre-halves because it’s a struggle to get a really good one.
“He is an experienced player. He has senior international caps for France and looks an absolute monster in training. He’s one who is ready for now and that’s what we want.”
— Rodgers on signing Sakho last September
Rodgers has made his message very clear, he is the boss and the decisions are his to make. But now he and Sakho must bury the hatchet for the good of the club, because Sakho’s talent has never been in doubt. Look at his form for France, where he is first choice for Didier Deschamp’s national side.
With a Liverpool defence that in recent times has inspired panic and fear more than confidence and calm, Rodgers must do everything he can to improve the standard of the back four. If that means using Sakho’s ambition to play as many minutes as possible, then so be it.
Sakho left Anfield because he was frustrated at not playing. It was an irrational and frankly dumb thing to do, but he did it for the right reasons. Reasons that mean Liverpool can have, hopefully, one more highly motivated player on the pitch, and that can’t be a bad thing. I, for one, would much prefer a player who walks out when not selected over one who willingly accepts his place in stands.
Liverpool doesn’t need shrinking violets who are happy to play once a month. Liverpool needs players who have a burning desire to be on the pitch and giving their all for the cause. Mamadou Sakho may have expressed it in the wrong way, but he clearly has this ambition, and it can help Liverpool greatly if harnessed effectively.
.
Andrew Cussen thinks Mamadou Sakho‘s walkout can be turned into a positive, if managed well by Brendan Rodgers.
Much has been made of Mamadou Sakho’s walkout on Saturday before the Merseyside derby at Anfield, and his subsequent non-selection in the Champions League squad to face FC Basel in midweek. But the protest has presented Brendan Rodgers with an opportunity to capitalise on the French international’s clear desire to play.
Sakho’s actions demonstrate his frustrations and how much he wants to play. After all, he joined Liverpool seeking more game time as he was third choice at his hometown Paris Saint-Germain. This is a man who left his family and friends behind in search of regular football, and the reality of his experiences so far at Anfield has perhaps not matched his expectations.
Sometimes we forget that footballers are human beings, that they can do nonsensical things. Not for a second am I saying that Sakho was right to walk out or that his actions deserve to be ignored. The punishment for Sakho – being left out of Liverpool’s match against Basel – is a justifiable one, nobody is disputing that.
Now comes an important time in his Liverpool career and a situation that must be dealt with effectively by Rodgers. Is Rodgers going to play headmaster or is he going to harness Sakho’s passion for the game and channel that desire into positive performances? Let’s hope it’s the latter.
“I wanted to try and protect the present and the future of the club. Centre-halves are so hard to find. You look at some teams and they have ageing centre-halves because it’s a struggle to get a really good one.
“He is an experienced player. He has senior international caps for France and looks an absolute monster in training. He’s one who is ready for now and that’s what we want.”
— Rodgers on signing Sakho last September
Rodgers has made his message very clear, he is the boss and the decisions are his to make. But now he and Sakho must bury the hatchet for the good of the club, because Sakho’s talent has never been in doubt. Look at his form for France, where he is first choice for Didier Deschamp’s national side.
With a Liverpool defence that in recent times has inspired panic and fear more than confidence and calm, Rodgers must do everything he can to improve the standard of the back four. If that means using Sakho’s ambition to play as many minutes as possible, then so be it.
Sakho left Anfield because he was frustrated at not playing. It was an irrational and frankly dumb thing to do, but he did it for the right reasons. Reasons that mean Liverpool can have, hopefully, one more highly motivated player on the pitch, and that can’t be a bad thing. I, for one, would much prefer a player who walks out when not selected over one who willingly accepts his place in stands.
Liverpool doesn’t need shrinking violets who are happy to play once a month. Liverpool needs players who have a burning desire to be on the pitch and giving their all for the cause. Mamadou Sakho may have expressed it in the wrong way, but he clearly has this ambition, and it can help Liverpool greatly if harnessed effectively.
.
Phil Jagielka and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are joined by a pair of Chelsea and Man City's top men in our latest Premier League Team of the Week.
Check out our latest Team of the Week and then let us know your top XI using the story comment facility at the bottom of the article.
TEAMtalk's Top Men (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Rafael, Jagielka, Dann, Bertrand; Henderson, Matic; Silva, Hazard, Moses; Dzeko.
Lukasz Fabianski - Swansea: A player whose form for the Swans this season has largely gone under the radar. But the Pole was at his brilliant best to frustrate Sunderland at the weekend and earn Garry Monk's side a point in a game in which they had been second best.
Rafael - Man United: You'd have been forgiven for forgetting that Louis van Gaal's side returned (just) to winning ways against West Ham on Saturday, given all the attention Wayne Rooney's red card generated. However, another thing that was also overshadowed was the performance of Rafael at right-back; the Brazilian not just playing his part in helping his side hang on to victory, but also his marauding efforts down the right flank in setting up Rooney's opener.
Phil Jagielka - Everton: There's rarely been better goals scored in this fixture down the years, and in all honesty, there's probably not been many better goals scored in front of the Kop by a visiting player. Ever. His unstoppable half-volley probably ensured his inclusion in its own right, but that shouldn't take away from an excellent performance at the heart of defence at the other end too.
Scott Dann - Crystal Palace: A clean sheet, a decisive assist for the opener against Leicester, and three valuable points in the bag, it's safe to say unsung hero Dann had a good day at the office on Saturday and ensures he just about edges out Tottenham's Younes Kaboul for a place in the heart of defence. A worthy, if not surprising, inclusion in this week's XI.
Ryan Bertrand - Southampton: With Ashley Cole now retired from England duty and with fitness questions surrounding Luke Shaw, there's a role in the national side up for grabs as Leighton Baines' understudy. Danny Rose may have stolen a march on him, but a goal against QPR at the weekend underlined why Bertrand could be in contention.
Nemanja Matic - Chelsea: Another unsung hero, Matic was in superb form for the Blues in their weekend win over Villa, breaking up any rare attacks and keeping possession ticking over for Jose Mourinho's men.
Jordan Henderson - Liverpool: He came out on top from most media outlets for his display in the centre of the park, so Henderson deservedly takes his place alongside Matic in the central midfield role. A player who is getting better all the time, surely it won't be too long before Henderson usurps Steven Gerrard as the first name on Liverpool's teamsheet in midfield
David Silva - Man City: Dzeko's double may have stolen the headlines but the key to victory at Hull was very much the mercurial Silva, who contributed two assists and generally had one of those games where the opposition just could not get close to him.
Willian - Chelsea: Another player who might not always grab the headlines, a goal and an assist for the Brazilian against Villa ensures his place in this week's line-up.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Arsenal: His untimely injury this summer was seen by some as one of the key components of England's disastrous World Cup campaign, and on evidence of his all-action display against Spurs, it's easy to understand why. The best player on the park according to our player ratings.
Edin Dzeko - Man City: Proving his worth to City once again, Dzeko scored two very different goals in the weekend win over Hull. While some may argue his second carried an element of good fortune, there was absolutely no doubting the quality of the first.
Phil Jagielka and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are joined by a pair of Chelsea and Man City's top men in our latest Premier League Team of the Week.
Check out our latest Team of the Week and then let us know your top XI using the story comment facility at the bottom of the article.
TEAMtalk's Top Men (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Rafael, Jagielka, Dann, Bertrand; Henderson, Matic; Silva, Hazard, Moses; Dzeko.
Lukasz Fabianski - Swansea: A player whose form for the Swans this season has largely gone under the radar. But the Pole was at his brilliant best to frustrate Sunderland at the weekend and earn Garry Monk's side a point in a game in which they had been second best.
Rafael - Man United: You'd have been forgiven for forgetting that Louis van Gaal's side returned (just) to winning ways against West Ham on Saturday, given all the attention Wayne Rooney's red card generated. However, another thing that was also overshadowed was the performance of Rafael at right-back; the Brazilian not just playing his part in helping his side hang on to victory, but also his marauding efforts down the right flank in setting up Rooney's opener.
Phil Jagielka - Everton: There's rarely been better goals scored in this fixture down the years, and in all honesty, there's probably not been many better goals scored in front of the Kop by a visiting player. Ever. His unstoppable half-volley probably ensured his inclusion in its own right, but that shouldn't take away from an excellent performance at the heart of defence at the other end too.
Scott Dann - Crystal Palace: A clean sheet, a decisive assist for the opener against Leicester, and three valuable points in the bag, it's safe to say unsung hero Dann had a good day at the office on Saturday and ensures he just about edges out Tottenham's Younes Kaboul for a place in the heart of defence. A worthy, if not surprising, inclusion in this week's XI.
Ryan Bertrand - Southampton: With Ashley Cole now retired from England duty and with fitness questions surrounding Luke Shaw, there's a role in the national side up for grabs as Leighton Baines' understudy. Danny Rose may have stolen a march on him, but a goal against QPR at the weekend underlined why Bertrand could be in contention.
Nemanja Matic - Chelsea: Another unsung hero, Matic was in superb form for the Blues in their weekend win over Villa, breaking up any rare attacks and keeping possession ticking over for Jose Mourinho's men.
Jordan Henderson - Liverpool: He came out on top from most media outlets for his display in the centre of the park, so Henderson deservedly takes his place alongside Matic in the central midfield role. A player who is getting better all the time, surely it won't be too long before Henderson usurps Steven Gerrard as the first name on Liverpool's teamsheet in midfield
David Silva - Man City: Dzeko's double may have stolen the headlines but the key to victory at Hull was very much the mercurial Silva, who contributed two assists and generally had one of those games where the opposition just could not get close to him.
Willian - Chelsea: Another player who might not always grab the headlines, a goal and an assist for the Brazilian against Villa ensures his place in this week's line-up.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Arsenal: His untimely injury this summer was seen by some as one of the key components of England's disastrous World Cup campaign, and on evidence of his all-action display against Spurs, it's easy to understand why. The best player on the park according to our player ratings.
Edin Dzeko - Man City: Proving his worth to City once again, Dzeko scored two very different goals in the weekend win over Hull. While some may argue his second carried an element of good fortune, there was absolutely no doubting the quality of the first.
